December 10th is International Human Rights Day, when European Athletics reaffirms its commitment to placing human rights at the heart of sport.
In 2025, the “Race for Respect” initiative did more than raise awareness of this critical issue.
Through visible, practical actions, including various campaigns and educational workshops, European Athletics leads by example, integrating human rights principles across all areas of governance and operations.
By recognizing the importance of human rights and embedding these principles into the way the organization governs sport, European Athletics is strengthening the structures that respect and protect every athlete who competes.
Guiding principle
“Through the Race for Respect campaign, European Athletics is raising awareness. The governing body educates the athletics community and reinforces a dignified culture. This is where safety, respect and fairness are the standard for athletes, coaches, officials, media, and volunteers alike.
“The reflections shared by athletes show clearly why this work matters. Their experiences underline the importance of creating environments that support mental well-being, celebrate diversity, and empower individuals to speak up when something is not right.
“European Athletics will continue working closely with our Member Federations and Local Organizing Committees to advance these values across all our championships,” said European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov.
“Human rights are not a mere agenda item; they are a guiding principle for everything we do.”
Chair of the Human Rights Working Group, within the European Athletics Governance and Integrity Commission, Mr. Toralf Nilsson said, “Based on the recommendations approved by the Congress in Belgrade 2023, European Athletics, with valuable support and expertise from the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, have been working intensively over the last two years to integrate human rights requirements in the bidding process of European Athletics events and events’ lifecycle.
“There is still more to be done, but we should be proud of what we have achieved so far, for example, embedding European Athletics commitment into relevant event documents and developing human rights knowledge among staff and Member Federations.
“In November, we delivered a well-received in-person workshop in Geneva for the Local Organizing Committees for our Major Events in the coming years and the respective European Athletics project leaders, as well as bidders for the upcoming editions of the European Athletics Championships indoors and outdoors”.
Athlete support
The ambitions and values of “Race for Respect” are being upheld and celebrated by the many athletes who have competed at European Athletics events in 2025.
Each athlete has different lived experiences, but they were united in their support of education, awareness, and reporting mechanisms in all aspects of the sport.
You can read the full interviews and article on our website.
Race for Respect is a continuous campaign promoting safeguarding, human rights, and positive values in athletics. The organization accomplishes this by engaging athletes, teams, federations, fans, and stakeholders through meaningful actions and partnerships.
The key objectives include advocating for fairness and integrity, promoting safeguarding and creating environments where good mental health is key to the well-being of athletes.
FURTHER INFORMATION: media@european-athletics.org
